Abstract: A method is provided for the internal processing of a transparent substrate in preparation for a cleaving step. The substrate is irradiated with a focused laser beam that is comprised of pulses having an energy and pulse duration selected to produce a filament within the substrate. The substrate is translated relative to the laser beam to irradiate the substrate and produce an additional filament at one or more additional locations. The resulting filaments form an array defining an internally scribed path for cleaving said substrate. Laser beam parameters may be varied to adjust the filament length and position, and to optionally introduce V-channels or grooves, rendering bevels to the laser-cleaved edges. Preferably, the laser pulses are delivered in a burst train for lowering the energy threshold for filament formation and increasing the filament length.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct laser writing fabrication method and system for devices having periodic refractive index modulation structures, for example, Bragg gratings. By focusing a modulated pulsed laser beam into a transparent material substrate, a path of laser modified volumes can be formed with modified refractive index compared with the unprocessed material. Modulation of exposure conditions provides periodic or modified periodic waveguide structures such that the waveguide structures exhibit grating responses and can be used for a variety of optical applications, for example, as spectral filters, Bragg reflectors, grating couplers, grating sensors, or other devices.

Abstract: A method is provided for the internal processing of a transparent substrate in preparation for a cleaving step. The substrate is irradiated with a focused laser beam that is comprised of pulses having an energy and pulse duration selected to produce a filament within the substrate. The substrate is translated relative to the laser beam to irradiate the substrate and produce an additional filament at one or more additional locations. The resulting filaments form an array defining an internally scribed path for cleaving said substrate. Laser beam parameters may be varied to adjust the filament length and position, and to optionally introduce V-channels or grooves, rendering bevels to the laser-cleaved edges. Preferably, the laser pulses are delivered in a burst train for lowering the energy threshold for filament formation and increasing the filament length.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of laser induced modification and processing of materials. Modification is achieved by confining laser-material interaction within an array of narrow zones characterizing an optical interference profile. Disclosed is a method of laser induced modification of a material comprising applying at least one laser pulse to the material, the at least one laser pulse being incident on the first interface of the material, wherein the material is selected on the basis that it can support an optical interference pattern such that a thin volume at a site of at least one intensity maxima of the optical interference pattern is characterized by a laser intensity above a threshold value to responsively produce the laser induced modification of the material at a location relative to the first interface.

Abstract: A method is provided for the internal processing of a transparent substrate in preparation for a cleaving step. The substrate is irradiated with a focused laser beam that includes pulses having an energy and pulse duration selected to produce a filament within the substrate. The substrate is translated relative to the laser beam to irradiate the substrate and produce an additional filament at one or more additional locations. The resulting filaments form an array defining an internally scribed path for cleaving the substrate. Laser beam parameters may be varied to adjust the filament length and position, and to optionally introduce V-channels or grooves. The laser pulses may be delivered in a burst train for lowering the energy threshold for filament formation, increasing filament length, thermally annealing of the filament modification zone to minimize collateral damage, and increasing the processing speed compared with the use of low repetition rate lasers.

Abstract: A method is provided for the internal processing of a transparent substrate in preparation for a cleaving step. The substrate is irradiated with a focused laser beam that is comprised of pulses having an energy and pulse duration selected to produce a filament within the substrate. The substrate is translated relative to the laser beam to irradiate the substrate and produce an additional filament at one or more additional locations. The resulting filaments form an array defining an internally scribed path for cleaving said substrate. Laser beam parameters may be varied to adjust the filament length and position, and to optionally introduce V-channels or grooves, rendering bevels to the laser-cleaved edges.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices having periodic refractive index modulation structures and fabrication methods for the devices using a laser means. By focusing a pulsed laser beam into a transparent material substrate, a path of laser modified volumes can be formed with modified refractive index compared with the unprocessed material. By selecting appropriate laser parameters and relative scan speed, the laser modified path defines an optical waveguide. Separation distance of the individual modified volumes define a periodic modification pattern along the waveguide path, so that the waveguide structures also exhibit grating responses, for example, as spectral filters, Bragg reflectors, grating couplers, grating sensors, or other devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct laser writing fabrication method and system for devices having periodic refractive index modulation structures, for example, Bragg gratings. By focusing a modulated pulsed laser beam into a transparent material substrate, a path of laser modified volumes can be formed with modified refractive index compared with the unprocessed material. Modulation of exposure conditions provides periodic or modified periodic waveguide structures such that the waveguide structures exhibit grating responses and can be used for a variety of optical applications, for example, as spectral filters, Bragg reflectors, grating couplers, grating sensors, or other devices.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for generating bursts of laser pulses and to an apparatus for generating bursts of laser pulses and to a Pockels cell driving circuit. A method for generating bursts of laser pulses comprising generating first repetition rate laser pulses, and generating first repetition rate laser bursts from the repetition laser pulses, the laser bursts each containing a sequence of second repetition rate laser pulses, wherein the second repetition rate is higher than the first repetition rate.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices having periodic refractive index modulation structures and fabrication methods for the devices using a laser means. By focusing a pulsed laser beam into a transparent material substrate, a path of laser modified volumes can be formed with modified refractive index compared with the unprocessed material. By selecting appropriate laser parameters and relative scan speed, the laser modified path defines an optical waveguide. Separation distance of the individual modified volumes define a periodic modification pattern along the waveguide path, so that the waveguide structures also exhibit grating responses, for example, as spectral filters, Bragg reflectors, grating couplers, grating sensors, or other devices.

Abstract: A method of laser processing or laser modification of materials. The combination of ultrafast laser pulses and high-repetition rate (>100 kHz) bursts (or continuous operation) defines a new and unexpected regime for material processing. The high repetition rate controls thermal and/or other relaxation processes evolving between each ultrafast laser pulse that ‘prepares’ the sample surface or bulk to alter the interaction with subsequent ultrafast laser pulses and thereby improve or optimize the process, or enable a new process, that are not available at lower repetition rate. The addition of this laser-controlled thermal component, and/or the general control of relaxation processes, overcomes several current limitations of ultrafast laser processing at lower repetition rates (<100 kHz), providing means to further harness the many attributes of ultrafast lasers for general material processing and material modification applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-spectral optical, open-field detection system utilizing light-induced-fluorescence imaging and point spectroscopy for use in in-situ diagnosis and treatment of diseased tissue with reduced sensitivity to changes in light source-target-detector geometry. The light excitation and detection optics share a common coaxial optical path which makes the present system very robust to changes in illumination-target-detector geometry. The apparatus may be used for the detection and localization of tumors or other pathological tissues both prior to treatment and for the detection of residual diseases during or after surgery or other treatments to remove or destroy the diseased tissue.

Abstract: A method of laser processing or laser modification of materials. The combination of ultrafast laser pulses and high-repetition rate (>100 kHz) bursts (or continuous operation) defines a new and unexpected regime for material processing. The high repetition rate controls thermal and/or other relaxation processes evolving between each ultrafast laser pulse that ‘prepares’ the sample surface or bulk to alter the interaction with subsequent ultrafast laser pulses and thereby improve or optimize the process, or enable a new process, that are not available at lower repetition rate. The addition of this laser-controlled thermal component, and/or the general control of relaxation processes, overcomes several current limitations of ultrafast laser processing at lower repetition rates (<100 kHz), providing means to further harness the many attributes of ultrafast lasers for general material processing and material modification applications.